living in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Thanks so much for reading!

innatephoto — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:24:47 +0000

Hi everyone, we wanted to thank you so very much for reading our blog. We know that it should’ve been much more than it ended up being. However, it’s tough to balance 3 blogs at once along with over 40 visitors, a website launch, work, play, travel and relaxation. I do want to let you know that Andy and I now have individual blogs that are updated on a regular basis.

Read about my life, work and randomness at http://www.innatephoto.com/blog

Andy has a music blog that you can visit at http://www.riceonthebass.com

Again, thank you all for your support. Be sure to keep in touch and if you find yourself in the Outer Banks, look us up. . . . we would love to see you!

xoxoxoxo-kirsten&andy

EYES OPEN project

innatephoto — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:20:19 +0000

Please take a moment to read about my project at my INNATEphoto Blog!

Then take 5 more moments to make a donation.

After that, pass it on. Let all your friends and family know about 3 amazing organizations here in Mexico.

Muchas Gracias!

Shhh…Listen

Andy Rice — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 04:48:22 +0000

Our little town is, to me, like a complex symphony that i could never notate.

The trees, seated in the mountains on either side of our valley, are the audience. They are silent save for the wind blowing through their branches. The audience breathes.

The contrabass and cello enter first as the buses and trucks rumble through the valley and along the river, to and from the city.

Percussive bursts from intercoms, mounted on trucks, punctuate the cello perfectly with announcements of what’s for sale today. Tomatoes, propane, pineapples, watermelons, honey.

Hints of reggae can be heard from upstairs, while banda, hip hop and 80s pop waft through the valley.

The roosters trumpet at their cue and the turkey’s trill their response.

The dogs bark like too many bassoons and the hens pick up the melody where the turkeys left off.

The kids screech and bellow like overexcited beginner violinists.

I don’t know who is the conductor of this orchestra but i am thankful to them for assembling such a spectacularly vivid aural pallette for me to sample on a daily basis.

Cheese Steaks, Carla and Some Important Bell I think!

innatephoto — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:17:03 +0000

He had been nervous for the last 43 hours, ever since the secretary informed him, “No Andrew. It is not necessary that we get the last recommendations. You will receive your decision in the mail by the end of the week.”

“Well,” I said looking up from my glowing monitor screen. “You are either definitely IN or definitely NOT IN. Obviously they have already made a decision.”

He chuckled in response, accepting that his fate would soon arrive in a sealed envelope. We both crossed our fingers that it was a big, oblong envelope with lots of paperwork inside. The small skinny envelopes are bad news, like the one my Mom received last week addressed to me from the Tyler School of Art.

I was working feverishly on a wedding album, hiding under my camel colored throw blanket, when we heard the UPS guy down below. I am sure he was already irritated that the walk up to our place required dodging Stephanie’s poopie traps amongst the beige colored rock. “Senjor Riiiiiiiicccccceeeeee!!!!!”

I was just too comfortable to move and it was just not necessary to do so. I heard the bow slide off the last string and fall to the concrete floor below, followed by the clocking of flipflops moving rather quickly through the house. “Uno momento. . . .POR FAVOR . . . . UNO MOMENTO!!!”

The door flew open before Andy even unlocked it, the excitement was just that powerful. I couldn’t hear much, “Tiene ID?” I felt a burst of wind as the doors flew back open with Andy flying through the house, red cape blowing behind.

Finally the lock made it’s locking sound and the footsteps ceased. The paper was uncooperative so it was destroyed with one swift tear. There, resting from it’s long trip was a magenta folder with images of artists on the front. Inside lay the golden ticket. Smile. Breath.

“I’m in.”

Announcing the newest addition!

innatephoto — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 02:57:23 +0000

No Mom, I know you were hoping for something with legs and a heartbeat but not quite yet. I do, however, have a new addition to my business. It’s my logo. Steph, I am sorry to tell you that your guess was incorrect but yes the corn chowder was super close! The logo isn’t the only thing new. IN FACT, it’s a WHOLE NEW WEBSITE AND BLOG!!! Special thanks to Mark Harris at MAWKUS for a phenomenal new design and Ross over at FLOsites for such an awesome blog. To the best boyfriend in the world whose patience is unbelievable and most importantly all the amazing clients I have had over the years. Thank you so much.

I will now be posting all photo related news over at my Innate Photographics Blog at: http://www.innatephoto.com/blog

Please make sure you check out my new site as well, same old address, brand new wardrobe: http://www.innatephoto.com

Thank you for all of your support! Now that this is off the burner, more blogging. . . . i promise!!!!

Tamalito located!

Andy Rice — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:16:46 +0000

So, we were waiting for the bus beside the leftovers from trash bags long since past when we saw Tamalito. We tried to tell him that we thought that he had moved. He may or may not have understood, but he did tell us that he was in Mexico City with his family. I haven’t noticed the motorcycle or heard the music, but his smile is still there and that is comforting. Kirsten told him that she wants to have her picture taken with him and his moto. I think he understood that one.

Protected: The Raicilla Incident

Andy Rice — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 20:25:10 +0000

This post is password protected. You must visit the website and enter the password to continue reading.

Hmmmm. . . I wonder what this could be?

innatephoto — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:27:34 +0000

01.21.2008

Andy Rice — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:16:55 +0000

AWOL |ˈāˌwôl|
adjective [ predic. ] Military
absent from one’s post but without intent to desert : the men have gone AWOL | humorous now the parrot has gone AWOL.
ORIGIN 1920s: acronym from absent without (official) leave.

We met Tamalito one day when we were getting some quesadillas from down the street. We had a short conversation in Spanglish. Notice how everyone sounds like robots.

“Hi, good morning.”

“We live up the hill, near you.”

“Yes, my name is Salvador. What is your name?”

“My name is Andy. Short for Andrew[Andres, in espagnol]“

“Nice to meet you.”

“My name is Kirsten.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you. What is your name again?”

“Salvador.”

“Oh, O.K. Nice to meet you.”

“You play the sax?”

“No, I play bass…contrabass. My friend plays sax.”

“Oh, O.K. I love to listen to alot of music.”

“I have heard your music. Rick James…”

“Ah yes! Rick James!”

“…And Culture Club..Selena.”

“Ah, yes. Yes.”

“You speak English.”

“A very little bit.”

“Yeah, us too.”

“It was nice to meet you. I’m going back to my house, now.”

“O.K. It was nice to meet you too. See you later.”

“See you later.”

“We call that guy ‘The Tamale guy’.” Kirsten says, after he leaves.

“Ah, Yes. We call him ‘Tamalito’.” Irma replies.

We continued to see and hear Tamalito until a couple of weeks later, at Christmas time. We saw him once while Steph was here, and then he was gone, presumably for the holidays. We haven’t seen him or heard Rick James at 120db at dawn since then, and we are afraid he has moved. The case of the missing Tamalito is afoot!

I’ve circled my calendar with a red marker, April 1st.

innatephoto — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:42:28 +0000

As most of you have heard by now, I have decided to apply to graduate school. I narrowed down my options to just 2 universities, Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Philadelphia and School of Visual Arts in NYC. I am excited about the prospect of getting back into the classroom and more importantly, using my camera for me and only me, well sort of.

Philadelphia would be a wonderful place to relocate, especially because my best girlfriend from college, Carla, AND cousins Jonathan and Stephanie would live very close by. They also offer fellowships that I am automatically considered for if I am accepted. The fellowships include full tuition AND a stipend. The only downfall is that there is not a lot of digital emphasis in the programs and much of it is thesis work, which means there is not a whole lot of technique classes.

NYC would also be wonderful. I have tons of friends who live in the city. It is one of the best places to shoot and network. Most importantly the program is a digital program, one of only 2 in the entire country. It would provide me with all the classes I am longing to take. The downfall? Ummmm, well it’s NYC. I have no idea how Andy and I would be able to afford grad school AND living in the city.

Well, I have submitted my first application and will receive a decision in April. I thought I might share with you the 20 I chose for my portfolio review. There are a few partial series and then a few independent images. I’d love some feedback.